


Regrow

by Pixxyofice



Series: Regrow - A Persona 4 Arcana Swap AU [1]
Category: Persona 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arcana Swap (Persona Series), Character Death, Gen, It doesn't last for long don't worry, New Game Plus, but with a twist!, oh there's a tag! how neat, persona 4 protagonist is named Souji
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:34:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26602282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixxyofice/pseuds/Pixxyofice
Summary: The cat-like creature jolted, taking multiple steps away from the sudden new feeling.Was it new?It felt like it both was and wasn't.---Something went wrong. How did it go wrong?
Series: Regrow - A Persona 4 Arcana Swap AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1935223
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	Regrow

_Pad, pad, pad._

Paws hit the featureless ground in a cycle, propelling the owner ever forward. The air was stuffed with fog, swallowing up any noise that went into it. There were slight gurgles that could be faintly heard, but most of it was absorbed by the fog.

_Pad, pad, pad._

This was home. The owner of the paws slowed a bit, cat-like ears drooping downwards. That was what their instincts said, that this was home... but something felt... off about claiming that. The cat-like creature frowned slightly, slowing to a stop. Was it home?

They were... different from the other creatures here, weren't they? They weren't blob-like. They didn't slide around as piles of goo. Their form was defined, not bubbling with emotions and potential forms. They had a tail, cat ears, cat face... cat paws.

No, they were still a creature like the others. They were just... slightly different, that's all.

_Pad. Pad, pad._

The creature got moving again, keeping their ears up and their eyes open. Their tail waved in the air as they moved, brushing against the fog. Sometimes, they could see glimpses of the other creatures. Those creatures were following their own instincts, sliding around, and so the cat-like creature followed theirs and moved away.

_Pad, pad—_

Their paw stepped into a puddle of water, and it seemed like the fog was thinner. The cat-like creature jolted, taking multiple steps away from the sudden new feeling.

Was it new?

It felt like it both was and wasn't.

_Blink._

There were multiple apartment buildings filling the sky. The fog making a visible ring around one of the floors.

_How do you know that's an apartment building?_

The creature stiffened. You? Who was— were _they_ the _you_? That voice felt so familiar, too...

The fog was getting lighter and lighter, and the creature could feel the presence of their fellow creatures drawing closer and closer. Their fur stood up on their back, and their ears were up and attentive. Multiple creatures, pulling closer, all in the direction of the building with the ever denser fog ring.

A small part of the creature wanted to investigate where the fog ring was. A larger part of the creature wanted nothing to do with that apartment building. Their paws remained rigid on the ground, watching as more and more sludge creatures gathered, more and more drifting around the base of the building.

A wave of energy pulsed from the floor where the fog ring was, and the creatures lunged for the building. 

The cat-like creature stayed still, body rigid and not wanting to move. That small part of them wanted to join in. It wanted to run and become a part of this energy that was pooling up on that floor. The larger, more in control part of them was screaming that it was dangerous. If they were to join in with the flood of Shadows— shadows?— then they would lose what they were.

They would lose experiencing. They would lose _being_. Their ears twitched as they heard the monsters' loud gurgles scream from the building. They looked down at the puddle that was starting to lose its ripples, watching the reflection.

A cat-like face stared back at them.

That wasn't them. This wasn't who they were. They— _he was_ — human, not— _a Shadow_ — furry, not— **_this form wasn't right—_**

_There's a sword sticking out of his gut. Something is pooling around the entrance and exit points, liquidy and dark. Someone screams his name, but all he can focus on are the sounds, the pain, and his mind, starting to slow._

_No, no, it wasn't supposed to be like this, he was supposed to be saving the world, he... he was the leader, he couldn't just... just..._

_There's blue. Two faces stick out among the white. One asks something. He speaks. How is he speaking while dead? The other nods, and opens the book in her lap..._

Souji felt like the wind was knocked out of him. His paws trembled as he continued staring at the puddle. The cat-like face in the reflection stared back at him, taunting him with the white and gray fur that was definitely his now. His tail— _he had a tail_ — lashed in the air, and he— he had to get away from here.

He got up. Two paws were on the ground like feet, two paws were hanging by his side like arms. His gray eyes trailed up to the apartment building, where a pool of dark energy was blotting out one of the apartment windows. He turned around and ran.

He couldn't risk becoming just like the other Shadows. He couldn't.

Why was he now like Teddie? Why wasn't he in the train car, heading for Inaba?

Why?

**Author's Note:**

> after planning to make this a multi chaptered fic, i evaluated myself and went... is that really going to agree with me? evidence on this very ao3 says No. 
> 
> Okay... what about drabbles? connected drabbles of whatever I'm thinking of, added to a series expanding this AU that i've lovingly thought up a bunch for already? no pressure to maintain a storyline, just shooting ideas out and getting other people attached to the AU as a result? hmm, maybe! 
> 
> it accounts for my brain weirdness, at the very least!
> 
> (also: please tell me if i need to tag something! i'm not sure if i forgot if something needs a tag or not, so please tell me if i have!)


End file.
